Locking device



^ July 3, 1928.

H. B. TAYLOR LOCKING DEVICE` Filed Jan. 30, 1925 i Fill/lll i 40 ings for a differential pinion shaft.

Patented July 3, 1928.

y UNITED fsTATEs- PATENT OFFICE. A

HERBERTV BERNARD TAYLOR, OE SYEAOUSE, NEW YORK, AssIGEOR To GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION; or DETRO1T,MIOHIGAN,A CORPORATION OE DELAWARE.

LOCKING DEVICE.

Application `filed January This invention relates to locking devices and is herein shown `as embodied in means sleeve to a tubular carrier.

Automobiles commonly have a 'difierential pinion at therear end of a stub shaft mountfor locking a diflerential pinion adjusting ed in axially movable bearings one of which is carried by an adjusting sleeve threaded.

in a tubular carrier extending forwardly in from the rear axle. Hitherto, it has been the practice to split the carrierand provide a clamping bolt to tighten the carrier on the sleeve after the latter has been adjusted. This results in a distortion ofl the carrier. i5 To prevent play in the anti-friction bearing, the latter must be clamped in the sleeve andvprior locking devices have not made suitable provision for the fine adjustment needed.. `Accordingly it is an objectioi' this 2o invention to provide improved locking means for locking the sleeve in the carrier and for locking the bearing in the sleeve.

To these ends `and also to improve gener ally upon devices of the character indicated 25 my invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing Fig. l is a plan view broken away to show soine parts in central section, Y

Fig. 2 is a transverse section showing some parts in end elevation,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a view lsimilarto Fig. l showing a' modified construction and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig.'4 with parts broken off.

The numeral indicates a tubular can rierwhich extends forwardly from a rear axle casing and carries the adjustable bear- The carrier has an interior threaded portion 12 to receive threads on the exterior of an adjusting sleeve or bushing 14, the latter having also a smooth cylindrical portion 16 45 which has a continuous eripheral engagement with a similar sur ace in the unsplit end of the carrier 10. VAn outer race ring 18, of a double-row ball bearing, is seated in the sleeve against a shoulder 20 and is 5o held by a clamping ring 22 threaded in the sleeve and having a suitable washer and packing to retain grease. An inner race ring 24 for the bearing is clamped to the pinion shaft 26, abutting against a spacing sleeve 28 and held there by the hub 30 of so, 1925. seriali-No. 5,794.

a member 32wliich is universally connected to the usual propeller shaftand locked tothe pinion shaft by `a nut 34.

'lheytubular carrier l() has an interior conical face 36 at its end engaged by acoinpleinental exterior conical face on a locking ring 38 which is threaded on the sleeve 14 and split, as at 40. Turning the locking rinvr causes it to contract, the conical faces we ging it inwardly and firmly locking the sleeve without any tendency to distort the carrier or Vinterfere rwith the continuous peripheral engagement or fit between the sleeve and the carrier. The locking ring 38 has a series off closely spaced radial projections or lugs 42, any two adjacent lugs being designed to straddle a pin 44 which may be inserted selectively in any one of' a plurality of axial openings cut in a flange 4G on the carrier. Thepin 44 is shownin one Opening` 48, and another opening 50 is loA cated aidistance from the first equal `to one and a half times the distance between the centers of adjacent lugs. Hence, a fine adjustinent of the locking ring inay be ob- V tained inasmuch as a turning of' the ring half the distance between the lugs will give a new locking position in which the pin 44 is inserted in the hole 50.

Means is provided for locking the clamping ring 22 to the sleeve 14 with a fine adjustinent.` In one desirable construction, the sleeve has a plurality of axial lugs 52, herein shown as eight, and the ring preferably has a greater and an uneven number of axial lugs 54, herein shown as eleven. A fiat locking plate 56, with three openings, two to engage adjacent lugs 54 on the ring and one to engage one of the lugs 52 on the sleeve, is arrangedto be slipped over such lugs as have the proper spaced relation to lock the clamping ring 22 in its desired position. The lugs 52 are bored radially to receive a cotter pin 58 which holds the locking plate 56, the adjacent lugs 54 straddling the pin. The clamping ring 22 is shown locked to the sleeve in one position and it is apparent that it can be locked in a multitude of different positions by selecting suitably located lugs for the locking plate.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the construction is similar but the carrier 10 has no flange and a diierent lock for the ring 38 is provided. The carrier has a shallow slot 60 in which a plate 62 is fastened by a screw bolt 64. The 110 plate has an extension or finger 66 yat the end arranged to, fit between adjacent lugs 42. The finger isshown arranged at one side of the center of the plate a'distanceV equal to Yone fourth of tlic distance between the center lines of" adjacent lugs. Hence, another intermediate locking position can be 0btained by turning the plate over and refastening it in aposition such that its finger is on the other side of the center line.

Although the invention. has. been described by reference to certain specic constructions, it should be understood that, in

fiange at one end, a sleeve adj ustably inounted insaid carrieravlocking ring threaded on said sleeve' and having a plurality of spaced lugs, a locking pin to engage between adjacent lugs, and said flange having openiii-gs kspacedcapart a distance diii'erentfroml the spacing of said lugs and adapted to selectively receive said locking piin Y 2. In a` device of the character described, in combination, a tubularA carrier, a sleeve adjustably mounted in said carrier, a lock-A ing pin, a locking ring threaded on Vsaid,

sleeve and having means for selectivelyl engaginnr said pin, aiidnieans on said carrier for selectively receiving said-pin.

3. In a differential carrier, in combination,` a tubular carrier, a'pinion adjusting sleeve mounted in the carrier and having a series of spaced l lugs, a clamping ring threadedL in saidl sleeve and' having'ca dif'- ierent number of spaced higs, andfa` plate havin openings arranged to selectively receive ugs on the sleeve and the ring.

el. In a differential carrier, in combination, a tubular carrier, a pinion adjusting sleeve mountedin the cai-rien and having a series offspaced lugs, a clampingring threaded in said sleeve and having a different:

number of spaced lugs, ,one set of said lugs havingopenings, a, plate` having openings arranged to selectively receive lugs on the sleeve and the. ring, and a, locking pin arranged. to be selectively positionedintlie openings of the lugs outside the plate.

5..In a dierential carrier, in combination7 a tubular carrier, a pinion` adjusting4 sleeve mounted in the carrier andl having. a-

series of axially extendinglugs, Va bearing clamping ring threaded in said sleeve and having a different number .of axiallyiextending lugs arranged inside said firstmentioned lugs, one set of said lugs having radial open ings; a fiat plate havingopenings arranged to selectively' receive adjacent lugs onnthe sleeve and the ri 0, andadockingpinarranged to be selectivelypositioned inthe radial .openings of the l outside thev plate.

In testimony whereof affixniy signature.

HERBERT B. TAYLOR. 

